Everyday Systems

...that after a while NoSing that their meals get healthier? I have read a lot about meals getting smaller after their body adjusts, but what about more balanced?

I am eating a cheesetastic meal pretty much every meal. I believe in a lot of protein to help me stay awake and satisfied and I don't care for meat and I LOVE cheese (obviously). I am having vegies and other things as well but, well, it's a lot of cheese....

Naturally my mind today went like this "I need to go on the Marilu Henner diet because it forbids dairy! No wait, I need to make cheese only allowed on S days! No wait, I need to eat only beans for protein! Yes, I need to give it up immediately! Or at least in 2 weeks!" All of this thinking makes me feel deprived and wanting to binge. This is what got me here in the first place.

I am hoping that after awhile my love affair with all things cheese will decrease and I'll want other forms of protein. I would love to gravitate towards beautiful vegetarian meals eventually. But for now, the cheese calls to me. Sooo...

has anyone found their tastes becoming healthy and balanced- without feeling deprived?

Thank you,

Moxie

Moxie28 wrote: has anyone found their tastes becoming healthy and balanced- without feeling deprived?

Moxie

Well, I don't know about balanced, but I went definitely from vegetarian to vegan on no S.


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I would definitely say they got healthier overall... which is not to say that individual meals aren't indulgent or unhealthy.

When I say "healthier," I mean more balanced in terms of protein/carbs/veggies. More veggies, period. More whole-grains for my carbs. That kind of thing. I still love cheese, and I still eat meat (though less than I did, and I do buy free-range/organic). And if I want less-than-ideal food, I have it without obsessing. But the overall trend is toward healthier stuff.

My advice: Do NOT do anything that makes you feel deprived. This will run its course. If you're too worried to wait it out, then look for something else you LOVE to replace some of the cheese.

I have spent so much of my life on Weight Watchers that it is automatic for me to include veggies on my plate. I have been eating close to Canada Food Guide except I have trouble getting my fruit in. I am so used to eating it as my snacks. I have to get better at that, otherwise I am doing ok.
You can do this. Try to plan what tomorrow's meals will look like and make sure you have your foods available. If cheese is a problem food you may be wise to leave it for an S day for awhile.

I don't go for "balanced" but a variety of foods over not only the course of a day, but over several days or a week. Having said that, I'm also trying to eat more seasonally as well as locally, so for the last couple of weeks I've consumed a LOT of asparagus. It will soon be gone and my consumption of it will drop and I'll be eating more of other things.

I have gotten a lot pickier about the quality of the foods I eat in general and the quality of snacks and sweets in particular. If I only get snacks and sweets on S days, they're going to be something really good, high quality, not junk. That doesn't mean that the occasional junk doesn't creep in, but I've noticed that I want it less.

I really like cheese, too, but don't eat much of it for two reasons: 1) I have heart disease and need to limit the consumption of it, and 2) I've been buying better quality cheeses which are more expensive -- so that almost naturally limits the amount. I don't use it on salads as much as I did in the past. Cheese is more of a garnish most of the time now.

In regards to heart-health, my attitude about forbidden foods changed a lot when I read about the Mediterranean way of eating and No-S. I never believed that one had to eliminate certain foods to follow a heart healthy diet. Even so, I about fell off my chair when I read about those heart-healthy folks in the Mediterranean eating full-fat dairy products!

I do include limited quantities of full-fat or higher fat dairy products during the course of a week. My S days also tend to include more of the things that are usually forbidden on a heart-healthy diet. Red meat, for instance. Butter for another example. I also eat a good number of bean-based dishes as well as vegetables. Not so much because they're healthy as because I enjoy them.

Back to those folks in the Mediterranean -- and elsewhere. They didn't go so much for "balanced" diets, in fact, they probably didn't know about them. They ate a variety of the available foods -- more or less depending on the season and what they grew or could afford and various religious fasting (or feast!) days. It's a pretty good example to follow.

Everything in moderation. You're not deprived of anything (unless you choose not to eat it). I agree with KCCC.

I don't know that my meals have become more balanced, but my attitude about food has.

I eat pretty much like wosnes, and I concur with what she says about cheese and heart disease. Perhaps you can discuss this with your doctor the next time you have an appointment. But when you say that you eat a lot, how much are you talking about? Keep in mind that although people in many European countries eat cheese every day, a portion size is usually a sliver. With all of that said, I love cheese but don't eat as much as I used to. Before No S, I would call a piece of cheese and an apple a lunch, then wonder why I was so hungry. Now I am eating enough lunch to get me through the afternoon and choose other things in addition to a much smaller portion of cheese.

Moxie,

I am that way with bread! It took a couple of weeks but I have really reduced the amount of bread I eat. However, if I feel like I really need a hunk of bread I go for it ... in moderation. Maybe you should try reducing the amount of cheese you eat at each meal or skip having it at one meal per day.

Good Luck!

Buffalo Gal

Once I had the No-S's nailed down I did have to re-evaluate what was on my plate since I was doing great, feeling great, but I wasn't losing any weight yet. I only have 15-20 pounds to lose so just cutting out the S's wasn't cutting it for me. By this time I was strong enough to take it to the next level and I did. I did start to eat healthier. By healthier I mean more fiber, more protein and lower calorie. I didn't cut any one particular thing out completely, but obviously the higher calorie foods had to be limited. And I am now 5 pounds down. Right after this I am going to post about getting past my plateau - you may want to check it out.

So to really answer you question: I don't think we automatically start eating healthier meals. I think you need to make a conscience decision to eat healthier meals, but you have to do it in order. And you can't move from one step to the next without really getting that step nailed down. Obviously it's the No-S first and foremost, and then you can move to portion size, then plate content. It has to be easy or you won't stick with it. If you feel you need a few more weeks/months under your belt before you move to the next step, then so be it. You will be that much stronger when you decide to go to the next step.

All in all I think the No-S lifestyle is as close to a no brainer as we are going to get. But you do have to use your brain occasionally. Super unfair! I know, but that's life

Thank you so much everyone for your responses! It's really given me a lot to think about. I think for now, I'm just going to get the habits straight and then when I'm feeling ready I'll do some healthy tweaks!

Thanks again for your input!

Moxie

Hello. I am not what you would call a long timer on the No S, I started in the middle of April, but I have found that my diet is more balanced and as a result healthier. I eat protein, carb, vegebatles and fruit and lunch and supper and breakfast has milk, high fiber cereal and fruit. I also drink milk between meals if I get too hungry. Hope this answers your question. God Bless.

I have found that I crave cheese less when I have better cheese to eat. I can be more satisfied with one ounce of Kerrygold Dubliner than I can with four ounces of store-brand orangey cheese.

--david

Cheese isn't ORANGE!!!!

*hides under the desk and shivers*

(I live on the Vermont border where it's All Hail Cabot. They don't dye their cheese).

NoelFigart wrote:Cheese isn't ORANGE!!!!

*hides under the desk and shivers*

Thanks for the laugh, Noel!!

Moxie
I have definitely found that the longer I have followed vanilla No S with out my own tweaking (which just leads to disaster for me) the healthier my meals have become.

Breakfast has definitely gone from more sugary cereals which do not stick to the ribs to more filling and long lasting breakfasts (and I don't feel as if I am missing out).

Lunch - This has been a gradual thing, but it is as if my brain has realised that if I eat better quality bread (whole grain / rye), protein sandwich fillings and have veg & fruit with lunch I am full until dinner. I now seldom need my mid afternoon milk to make it till dinner.

Dinner is often dictated by the family, but we in the bigger picture my meals are healthier and as a result more satisfying.

Give it time, and I am sure that you will start to notice changes in your plates of food.

Thank you so much everyone! I have also noticed that since I started just eating the 3 meals I'm making choices that will last me longer. It's interesting to be paying more attention to what my body needs. Instead of what my head wants.

Moxie

It's interesting to be paying more attention to what my body needs.

It's really interesting to find that happen naturally ... without much extra effort

Blueskighs